Phonograph-record album



F. W. SEA.

PHONOGRAPH RECORD ALBUM.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.20,1920.

mmw

Patented Aug, 89 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. W. SEA.

PHONOGRAPH RECORD ALBUM.

APPLICATION FILED'- DEC. 20. 1920.

Patented Aug. 8.. 11922..

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

.entre stares arena '51s.

vFEIRICK W. SEA, 0F CHXGAGO, ILLINOIS.

PHONOGRAPH-RECORD ALBM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

v'realer-1mb@a aug. s, ieee.

application mea recenter 2o, 192e. serial No. 431,810.

and arrangement, all of which are fully dis.

closed in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, on which drawingst `ig. 1 is a plan view of av phonograph record album incorporating the features of my invention, parts being broken away to more clearly show the arrangement.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view showing the album closed, i

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view showing the album open, the opened envelope being shown in vertical section,

Fig. 4 is a` side elevational view partly in section showing a. modified construction and arrangement,

Fig. 5 is a plan view on reduced| scale of one of the envelopes,

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one end of the covering flap showing the arrangement for receiving index cards, and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view showing the arrangement of the tabs.

ln the structure shown the base part 10 is of still, preferably rigid material and may be` constructed of heavy paper board with cloth covering. this base is the back strip 11 to whose upper edge is hinged the main cover part 12. Between the base'a-nd cover part is arranged a stack of envelopes 13 all of the same size and offset longitudinally so as to under-lap at their front ends and to overlap at their rear ends as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The

displacement is just sulricient to leave nar-l row sections 14 for the application of index and other legends and for providing indicating vmechanism to be referred to later. The envelopes are open at their front ends for the reception of records but are closed at their sides. At their rear edges they are closed either entirely or only for a Short dis- Hinged tothe rear edge of..

tance at their center section to form abutments for the rear ends of the records. The v adjacent walls of the envelopes are glued or otherwise secured together along a longitu dinal median section, and such securing may extend to the rear edges of the envelopes, or only part way. as indi-cated by the 'glued areas Figs. 3, 5, and 7. The upper wall of the upper envelope and the lower wall of the lower envelope are respectively secured in a similar manner to the cover and base sections as indicated by the glue areas 'y Figs. land 3, and are held thereby against Arelative lateral movement. Except for such securing together, the envelopes are free at their sides and rear ends.

Between the upper wall a of each envelope and the lower wall b of'the envelope above is secured a tap 15 (Fig. 7). Such tabs may be secured by the same means which secure the adjacent walls ot the envelopes together. The tab` for the upper envelope is secured between the top wall of such enevelope and the cover 12. With this arrangement when any one tab is grasped and raised the upper wall of the respective envelope together with all envelopes above it are raised, and as the lower wall of the envelope is connected with the upper wall of the envelope below, the envelope is opened wide for the quick and ready insertlon or withdrawal of a record.

One of the important objects of my inven- Vtion is to provide improved means for disthe envelopes will be regularly 'vertically' spaced apart a fixed distance suicient to keep the weight of one record from bearing on the record below. ln other words, each envelope with its load is individually supported at its rear edge on the supporting block With this arrangement, when an envelope isopened preparatory to withdrawrecord above is taken u n porting block and suc ing or inserting its record, the weight of the entire-ly by the supupper records are prevented from accumulatin their weight on the rear edge of the recor to beinserted or withdrawn, soy that insertion or withdrawal can be accomplished without interference, and an envelope can always be opened entirely to its rear edge, "as clearly shown in Fig 3 The slope of the bloc-k being gradual the envelopes above an opened envelope ma readily lshift along the slope so that all straln is prevented and the opening of an envelope made as easy as possib-le. As the base and cover structure are hinged to ythe back 11 the cover structure and back can swing at the hinged connections to follow the movements of the envelopes and `su`ch movement also relieves the envelopes from any strain vor interference during, open.- ing of any envelope.

It is very desirable that an envelope may be opened suiioiently wide so as to permit the-fingers to be readily inserted to grasp a record. It is also very desirable that the.

record assume such position that it can be easily grasped. This I accomplish by making the envelopes Wider lthan the diameter of the records to be received, and connecting the upperand lower walls of each envelope together at oints which are in line with the transverse iameter of the enclosed record when in place. Such fastening means may be in the form of wire stitches 18 and 19 or other mechanism and they-are spaced apart a distance which is just suliicient to permit a record to be readily slid between them into place within the envelope. With this arrangement, when `a tab is raised the corresponding envelo e .will be opened wide at its mouth to provi eample room 4for the insertion of the hand While at the same time the record will be held midway between the upper and lower walls of the envelope by the stitching or other means referred to, as'

plainly shown in Fig. 3, and the record can then be readily and irml y grasped and withdrawn. .The degree ofV opening of the album is limited by means of a stop cord 20 which is secured .to' the base and cover parts at one or both sides ofthe album.

In order to determine whether or not a record is in its envelo e, I provide indicating mechanism in the .orm of a colored area 21 on they lower wall-of each envelope at the front end thereof, and a sight opening or notch '22 at the edge of the upper Wall of the envelope. With this-arrangement, when an envelope -is empty the colored area will show, but when the record is in place, it will cover the colored area, visibility of the colored area indicating that the record is not in the envelope. The colored areas and notches preferably extend in a row midway between the lsides of the envelopes and the meager tabs 15are in a row immediately adjacent. The envelopes may be designated 'by numbers 23 appearing adjacent the sight notches and if desired, such numbers may also appear on the correspondin tabs.

In order to protect the ront underlapping ends ofthe envelopes and the exposed edges of the records, and also the tabs, I preferably .provide a cover section or flap 24 which is hinged to the main cover part 12 at its front edge. When this flap or front cover section is down, it rests against the underlapping ends of the envelopes land against the front edge of the base 10, and preferably locking entirely closed and all danger of their slip'- ping out is eliminated. When the flap is open and thrown back the envelopes are accessible for the removal or insertion of reco-rds and by providin suitable fastenin means such as corner cllps 28, an index car 29 can readily be applied on the inside of the ap. Such index card may have onit the numbers corresponding to the numbers of Atheenvelopes together with the' titles of the records contained Within the envelopes. Such record cards could be of material which Would permit erasure so that the titles could be readily changed in accordance with changes in records. Ifdesired, 1the titles could also be printed or written on the spaces 14 on the underlapping envelopes.

When the closed album is laid in a cabinet ion flat on a shelf any identification marks or In Fig. 4I have shown a modified arrangement. H ere, the supporting block .16 `instead of having a fiat sloping surface, is

provided with individual su porting steps 31 for the-record envelopes. guch steps may be desirable Where heavy' records such as those for Edison phonographs are contained in the album.

Fig. 4 also' shows a modified front lcover section, the cover section 32 here shown be# ing lof triangular transverse cross section,

and it may be a solid block, or, as shown, it may be built'up of side and end Walls. Its sloping mner surface 33 is parallel with the l thus provide a very substantial, durable,

ecient and neat album for records which has a full index thereon of the contents and which index can be readily read by withdrawing the album only a short distance from its supporting shelf and opening up of the front cover section. With only a small clearance space in a cabinet the envelopes canbe opened far enough to permit records to be readily'inserted or withdrawn. When the album is removed from a cabinet the envelopes can be opened full width and the recol'ds withdrawn or inserted with ease and certainty. lll/'hen the front cover section is locked in closed position the album can be readily carried about with the records fully protected and without danger of their falling out.

As changes and modifications are possible without departing from the scope of my invention l do not desire to be limited to the .precise construction, arrangement and operatlon shown and described.

l claim as' follows:

l. ln a filing device of the class described, the combination of a base, a block secured on said base adjacent its rear edge, said block having its upper surface sloping downwardly toward the front of the base, a plurality of envelopes supported at their rear edges on said sloping surface and regularly spaced apartthereon, said envelopes being all of the saine length whereby they will un-. derlap at their front ends, a main cover part extending forwardly from the upper edge of said block over the top envelope, an auxiliary part hinged to the front edge of said main cover partfor covering the underlapping ends of said envelopes, said envelopes being open at their front ends for the reception of things to be led, and means for facilitating opening of said envelopes to givev access to the contents.

2. in a tiling device of the class described, 'the combination of a base, a block secured on said base adjacent its rear edge and having its upper surface sloping downwardly toward the front of said base, a plurality of envelopes seated at their rear edges on said sloping surface 'and regularly spaced apart, said envelopes being substantially of the same length whereby they will underlap 'at their front ends, means for preventing relative longitudinal movement of said envelspes, said envelopes being open at their front ends for reception of things to be filed, and

a cover hinged adjacent the upper edge of said block.

3. In a phonograph record album, the combination of a base, a block secured on said base at its rear end and having its upper surface sloping downwardly and forwardly to said base, a plurality of envelopes resting at their rear edges on said sloping surface and regularly spaced apart, said envelopes being substantially of the same length whereby their front ends will underlap, a cover extending forwardly from the upper end of said block to the front end of the upper envelope, said upper envelope being secured to said cover and the lower envelope being secured to the base, said envelopes having their adjacent wallsr secured together, and tabs at the front ends of said envelopes for facilitating opening thereof for the reception or withdrawal' of records, said block taking up the weight of said records at the `rear edges thereof. l

4. In a Aphonograph record album, the combination of a base. a supporting structure thereon near its rear edge, such supporting structure being of triangular transverse cross section whereby to present inclined surface at its upper side, record-receiving envelopes engaging at their rear edges on said inclined surface and spaced apart thereon, said envelopes being substantially of the same length whereby to underlap at their front ends, means for securing said envelopes against movement in parallel planes relative to each other and to said base, a cover hinged relative to said base and extending forwardly over the top envelope, and tabs a't the front ends of said envelopes for facilitating opening thereof.

5. In a phonograph record album` the combina-tion of a base and a cover, a stack of envelopes between said base and cover, said envelopes underlapping at their front ends and overlapping at their rear ends, the adjacent walls ofsaid envelopes lbeing secured together and the upper and lower envelopes being respectively secured to Ithe cover and base, a supporting structure interposed between the base and cover at their rear ends and providing an inclined surface for ,receivingA the overlapping ends of said envelopes/and supporting them, and tabs at the front ends of said envelopes for facilitating opening thereof.

G. ln aphonograph record album, the combinationof a base, a cover, a back having hingedconnection with said base and cover, a stack of envelopes between said base and cover, said envelopes underlapping at their front ends and overlapping at their rear ends, a supporting structure between said base and cover for the rear edges of said enl velopes, said envelopes engaging at different heights on said supporting structure, said envelopes being free at their sides for relaf tive vertical movement but secured together just suciently intermediate their sides to prevent relative lateral movement thereof, and said .cover and base being secured respectively to the upper and lower envelopes, and talbs atthe front ends of said envelopes for facilitating opening thereof, said su porting structure receiving the weight of t e records at their rear ends during opening of the envelopes. 7 In a phonograph record album, thecombination of a base', a back hinged tothe base at its lower edge', a cover structure hinged at its rear edge to said back, astack of envelopes between said base and. cover structure, said envelopes 'underlapping at their `front ends and overlapping at their rear e ends, a supporting structure on said base below the overlapping ends of said envelopes shaped to presentl seating surfaces Ito the rear edges of said envelopes, said envelopes being secured against lateral movement relative to each other and to said base but being free for relative vertical movement lat their sides, said envelopes being open at the front for the reception of records, tabs -for facilitating opening ofl said envelopes, the front section of said cover structure being hinged to normally cover the underlapplng .ard'

tabbed endsof said envelopes and to swung back to expose such ends.

8. Ina phonograph record album, the combination of a base,- a cover, a back hinged to the base and cover, a stack of record-receivingy envelopes between said base and cover, said envelopes regularly overlapping a short distance at their rear ends, a supporting structure on said base below said overlapping ends, the upper surface of said sup-J porting structure receiving the'rearedges of said envelopes and causing said envelopes to be spaced vertically a suiiicient dis-tance. so that said supporting structure will individually support the envelopes and records therein, andattachments at the front ends ofthe envelopes fr facilitating opening thereof.v

9. .In a phonograph. record album, the com'- bination of a base, a cover structure, a stack .combinatlon of a aliase, a stack of record of record-receiving-'envelopesl between said base and cover structure, sald44 `envelopes being-securedto each-other and to said base combination of a base, a cover, a stack of envelopes between said base and cover, said envelopes being secured together and to said base and cover but being free at their edges,

said envelopes underlapping at their-front ends, and a flap-hinged .to said cover for normally covering the underlapping ends of at their sides, said envelopes .being Wider than the diameter of records to be received, the upper and lower walls of each envelope being secured togetherinwardly of the sides of the envelope and at opposite points in line with the diameter of the record to be received whereby when said envelope is opened a record therein will assume a position midway between the upper and lower walls of the envelope. l

12. In a phonograph record album, a

stack of envelopes open at their frontends and -secured together at their adjacent walls at points within the sides thereof so asto leave the sides free, said -envelopes being wider than the diameters of recordsI to be received, and means for restricting the opening of the envelopes inwardly of their front ends in line with the transverse diameter of the records lwhereby such envelopes ,may be opened wide at their front ends and the contained records held spaced away from the upper and lower envelope walls. l

13. In a phonograph record album, the

at their sides but are free for vertical relative movement, tabs at the front ends of said envelopes for 'opening them, said envelopes being wider than the diameter of records to be be received, and means for restricting the width of the envelopes a distance inwardly records will beheld away from the upper and lower walls of the envelopes lby the restricted width. l 4

14. In a phonograph recordl album, the

lap at thelr rear ends',.a 'supporting struc-f from their front ends, the restricted width ture on saidbase presenting an inclined surfaceto the overlapping ends to thereb support theweight 'atsuch ends, the a jacent walls of the envelopes. being secured .together at their frontI edges inwardly from the sides thereof'and the bottom ofthe stack being secured to said base whereby said envelopes are held againstl relative lateral displacement, said envelopes being free at their sides to be there separable, tabs at the front ends of said envelopes, a main cover section extending forwardly over the uppercombination of' a stack of envelopes secured together at theirl front edges inwardly from the sides thereof whereby said envelopes are f 'secured against relative lateral movement Leaepei most' envelope,and an auxiliary cover secsectlon, said tion hinged to the main cover v auxiliary cover section normally covering the underlapping ends of the envelopes and when swung back exposing such ends, said auxiliary cover having an inclined lower surface which is parallel with the inclined surface of the supporting structure on the base. i

15..' In a ilin device of the class described, the com ination of a base, a.sup

port' secured on said base adjacent its rear edge and having an inclined `upper surface, a plurality of envelopes seated at their rear edges on said inclined surface and regularly spaced apart, said envelopes being substantially of the same length whereby they will underlap at their front ends, said envelopes from said base, av plurality of envelopes seated at their rear edges on said sloping surface, and means for preventing relative lateral movement of said envelopes, said en# velopes being free at their sides for relative` vertical movement.

17. ln aiiling device of the class described, port secured on saidvbase and having a surface sloping upwardly from said base, a

the combination of a base, a supstack of envelopes seated at their rear edges on said sloping surface, .means securing the adjacent walls of said envelopes together inwardly of the envelope sides whereby `said `envelopes are secured against relative lateral displacement but are free at their sides for relative vertical movement, the lower envelope being secured to the base, said envelopes being open reception of things to be led.

In witness whereof, l hereunto subscribe my name this 16th day of December, 1920.

FREDERICK w. sea.

at their front'ends for 

